An independent Quebec may be a long shot in the eyes of many investors, at least for now, but a fresh provincial vote on separating from the rest of Canada could hurt stocks with heavy ties to the province

The Fondation Marcelle et Jean Coutu advised the company it intends to deposit 21 million shares for repurchase, which, according to Stephen Takacsy, chief investment officer at Montreal-based Lester Asset Management, means the company 'is not for sale anytime soon and possibly for generations'

Loblaw's takeover of Shoppers Drug Mart speeds up consolidation in Canada's retail industry and puts further pressure on rivals to strike their own deals or fade against the power of a fortified competitor

The Jean Coutu Group (TSX:PJC.A) has reported a large drop in net income in its fiscal 2014 first quarter, mainly due to much smaller gains from the sale of shares in U.S. pharmacy chain Rite Aid compared with the year-earlier period